Idle curiosity - Cheap 1st Fix nail guns

[Beanwood]

I have a situation where I could really use a 1st fix nail gun (90mm nails). But I won't use it a lot (Well hardly at all TBH).

I want to keep the budget to about £100

Right - so with that information, I know it won't be a battery version, even though they don't need gas.....

I see Silverline do an air nailer that might do the job. I have a big compressor - but don't really want to be tied by umbilical to the garage, and I'm not going to buy a small compresor. SO unless one comes up REALLY cheap that's out.

But I also see loads of Paslode's or Hikoki's that 'Needs a service' for just over £100.

Hikokis at around £140 seem fairly common, but I've seen a few reviews saying they just stop working.
Similarly Paslode are a 'known brand' but again seem to suffer from misfires.
Is either one a better bet than the other?
Any ideas please?

 

[armalites]

When I rebuilt my roof I bought a Bostitch first fix air powered. I think I had a couple of misfires and that was because I forgot to turn the compressor on. I was just a long hose to the roof from the workshop.

I've seen good reviews of the Dewalt battery units.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

I've seen good reviews of the Dewalt battery units.

My first and second fix dewalt 18v are now 6 years old. Not used everyday but do see a lot of use. I've never had to do any maintenance. They just work. For my usage they are great for that reason.

 

[Seadog]

I've got a Silverline, bought for when I enlarged my workshop. It worked very well. Cost just under £100 from Screwfix.
I don't really have a use for it now, so perhaps we could come to an arrangement?
The only problem is that I'm away until mid November.

 

[gaz1]

My first and second fix dewalt 18v are now 6 years old. Not used everyday but do see a lot of use. I've never had to do any maintenance. They just work. For my usage they are great for that reason.

a paslode user here whilst my gun is still pretty new or new looking its been used

in the early days i wouldnt have touch an electric nail gun as wasnt good enough to fire those nails in but nowadays there good enough

now your complaining about price for price well to be honest here your in dreamland if you think air is cheaper it isnt there all roughly the same price if you havent got the gear in the first place

air gun would need the compressor and air lines
electric nail gun would need batterys
paslodes still need gas and batterys

each one is still based around the 400.00 price tag if you had to go out and buy it

so which is best well they all do missfire, batterys can be used in other units so whilst the unit is sat in the corner
both the paslode and the air one would be sat in the corner

 

[JimmyS]

Ive got hikoki first and 2nd fix ones which admittedly are only used by me in house renovation and have made things a lot easier working on own. Ive probaly had them about 4 or 5 years now and have admittedly not put anything like the amount of nails through compared to a joiner, but they have been fine, I think I am only on about the 5th box of nails thorugh the 1st fix one. One of the two batteries on the 2nd fix gun is knackered, but apart from that they have been ok. I couldn't justify the price of the Passlode ones for what I am doing.

 

[armalites]

Mine is a Bostitch F33PT-E I think. Im sure it was about £200-250 when I bought it. I used it with 90mm ring nails for the 6x2 rafters and with 50mm galvanised when doing the roof battens.

At time I was putting nails into hard woods that would have been hundreds of years old and it did it no problem.

The Dewalt units were still really new when I bought my air powered.

I went air based on the fact I had easy access to air and when ever you watch any timber framing in the USA where it is massively common they are nearly always running air powered and are banging in nails all day every day.

I looked at Paslode but I have a couple of friends who use them all the time and really rate them but also said if you are relying on them to do a job you need two because they can be temperamental.

​

 

[Beanwood]

I looked at Paslode but I have a couple of friends who use them all the time and really rate them but also said if you are relying on them to do a job you need two because they can be temperamental.

Yes, that's what I worried about really. I only want to buy one (albeit a second hand, cheap thing) so any reliability issues will no doubt be magnified. I don't want to reach for it, and have to tear it down to make it go again.

Perhaps air is the simplest answer for now. (The frst job is only 25ft from my compressor anyway, but I do like to future proof a little bit when spendng on tools...)

 

[grim_d]

Don't know if you will get one for £100 but the Bostitch first fix gas gun is leagues above that junk paslode sell. Infinitely reliable. Think I paid £200 for a brand new one.

As I understand it Bostitch made the old Hitachi gas guns.

 

[awemawson]

Refurb a Paslode - all the bits are available and they aren't too complicated

 

[Beanwood]

Don't know if you will get one for £100 but the Bostitch first fix gas gun is leagues above that junk paslode sell. Infinitely reliable. Think I paid £200 for a brand new one.

As I understand it Bostitch made the old Hitachi gas guns.

Interesting!! Would that be the GF33PTU ?
I haven't looked at Bostitch before.

 

[mike os]

My paslode is over 15 years old … serviced they last well… most are abused, but that goes for most of them I think

 

[grim_d]

Interesting!! Would that be the GF33PTU ?
I haven't looked at Bostitch before.

Mine is the older GF9033-E.

The second fix gun is great too. Far better than the Ryobi crap I bought

 

[sako243]

You haven't mentioned if you've already got a battery system of choice because that might sway things?

My only comment of worth is that my neighbour is a carpenter and roofer and has a mixture of Dewalt and Paslodes. He said the Paslodes will drive but don't like the 90mm ring shank nails whereas when he used my Milwaukee framing nailer when he gave me a hand putting up the missus' stables it had no issue by comparison, in fact was driving them below the surface most times. He sent me a message later on in the evening that he'd got to the point of putting in his credit card number but just before clicking submit he decided he could survive without buying one - it would be yet another battery system.

It is a bit of a lump compared to the paslode though - not massively heavier but heavier none the less. It did all the framing and cladding for a 6x4.4m stables (2.4m to eaves and 4m to ridge) on a single 5Ah battery. Framing was 90mm ring shanks into pressure treated CLS and cladding was 68mm ring shanks through 3/4" douglas fir. Just over 1000 nails for the cladding, don't know about the framing.

Not a cheap option by a long way but shows how much the battery nail guns have come along.

 

[prepman]

Just bought this...done 50 or so nails (brads) can't complain. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/351228071672
Got an Orion C45 flooring nailer coming tomorrow and some ss 38mm x 2.1mm nails Never, ever used a nail gun before. Have notified A&E.

 

[Beanwood]

You haven't mentioned if you've already got a battery system of choice because that might sway things?

Aha - I am fortunate (Or not) that I only buy tools to do a job where I can justify it- and as I don't do them that often, I don't wear them out - so every time I decide to buy new, the batteries have changed! (OK, not quite, but I still have stuff from the 'Old' Dewalt I have 'A' (As in singular) 18V Dewalt. to run my big Impact Wrench (Which is a beast)

I've seen many on Marketplace that 'doesn't come with batteries' - so I COULD take my own and try it - but I'm just a little bit cautious about their roots - no box, battery, charger.... really? (Maybe I'm just too cynical)

I like the look of the Bostitch that @grim_d suggested but the nails (At 28degrees and wire weld) seem to be way off 'standard' - so not so readily available in smaller packs - and I won't be running through several thousand in a day.

I'm still being seduced by the Paslode branding.... but that's why I'm asking you knowedgable bunch!!

IM350/90CT - is that even still serviceable?

 

[awemawson]

Well I’ve kept mine working for about 19 years so far !

 

[gaz1]

yes it is but getting old a bit now

i have the 2nd fix but its more like the im350

 

[indy4x]

I've got a Silverline, bought for when I enlarged my workshop. It worked very well. Cost just under £100 from Screwfix.
I don't really have a use for it now, so perhaps we could come to an arrangement?
The only problem is that I'm away until mid November.

Same here, bought a Silverline jobbie to run off my compressor

Would easily bang in 90mm nails

Did the roof on my house, new rafters etc and all the timber work on my 4m x 9m extension including the pitched roof on that and a few years later my garage roof trusses and bracing

 

[prepman]

Still trying to fathom the subtle differences in the nail guns. The 50mm brad nailer 18g is galvanised but not of any real use for external use? Ok for pinning for assembly. Mistakingly thought framing guns were for picture frames.
But of course American houses are framed buildings. Ring nails?
Got a flooring gun 2.1-2.6mm dia coming. No doubt when I start using it I'll realise what I should have bought?
Wish I could weld wood......A gas fence stapler seems to be beckoning for the fields?